A/N Sorry to keep you waiting, I manage to finish this chapter and oh boy didn't expect to be a big one, I was gone while I was typing. Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter, remember to like, favorite and subscribe!
Chapter 37: The Second Battle, Must Be Best Served Cold
We rush our way back to the village and the snow is starting to fall faster. We can't tell what's causing this place to snow.
"Mina, any idea what could be causing this place to snow?"
"No, I'm not so sure about it, but we have to head back quickly." Mina speeds up and I'm losing sight of here.
"Alright then, here goes!" I summon my enhance lighting to speed up and I dash ahead to catch up to Mina. For a few seconds I can see Mina with great speed, I begin to smile that I'm catching up to her. She's still far away, but I can keep up her pace.
When we arrive, people are gather around wanting to know what's happening, as well feeling a bit frighten that snow happens to fall during summer. I see Ken and Issac trying to calm everyone down, but they're freaking out. We head to them and see if they know anything.
"Ken, Issac! What's happening, why is it snowing all of the sudden?"
"We were going to ask you the same thing. Who would've thought that winter would crash in during the summer."
"Well, there has to be something that's causing it."
"If there is, then where would we start?" He got me there, I had no lead. Mao manage to catch up and she felt exhausted running all the way here. I completely forgotten she can't run fast enough to catch up.
"Hey guys...don't leave me behind next time."
"Sorry Mao, I thought you could be fast as well." Then the chills returns and I'm starting to shake.
"Ivan what's wrong?"
"It's...b-back..." Mao quickly runs back to her shop and getting something. I don't think stamina food would help, plus I'm not hungry this time. I look around the snow and it's starting to pile up to an inch high. I wrap my arms around to keep myself warm, but I'm feeling colder. I'm getting tired of freezing to death for no god damn reason. Then I felt something warm wrap around me. Mao threw me a long furred coat. It's one of those coat that reaches all the way to your legs. I turn and see Mao wearing a coat of her own, she also gives one to Mina. She's wearing a brown furred coat and Mina wears a yellow jacket.
"Thanks Mao."
"Heh heh, no problem. 'Ah! He praise me again! I'm getting close, keep it up Mao and you'll have him.'" I look confuse to what's wrong with her, she seems to be dozing off. I was going to ask Mao, but then a scream occurred. I quickly turn and see people are running away.
"Everyone run! Get out of the village, it's here!" I widen my eyes almost trembling in fear, but I can't worry. I told Mao to get out of there and take Heather somewhere safe.
Ken and his group meet up and readied themselves to see what's coming up ahead. I tighten the coat since I'm getting colder. I summon my sword and tighten my grip to keep my blade steady. I hear loud footsteps and I can tell who it is. The beast has return, with a vengence.
"Decide to come back huh?" The beast didn't say anything, but it then points at me. It remembers what I did to that monster. Shockwaved him, threw his sword out and badly injured his torso leaving a large scar. What I see differently is that the right side of his eye is white, I don't remember that he has a white eye, only red eyes. The beast then roars in angers. I then begin to rush in.
"Ivan wait!" My speeds increases and before I swing my sword to the right, I felt cold that it hit my nerve to stop my movement. The beast quickly pulls out its sword and clash to mine. Then suddenly I gotten even colder. The great sword is completely different, the sword is frozen solid, you can even see a reflection to the other side of the blade. He got a new sword to replace his previous one. This one looks more dangerous. I quickly back up to keep myself from freezing. I made it back to the groups and wrap around myself. I couldn't feel my body, it almost like my body is slowly dying from the cold.
"No, not again."
"What's happening Mina?" Ken didn't get the news that I've been freezing today.
"I don't know, his temperature went haywire. I tried the spring to cure it, but it just keeps coming back." Then the beast roars and charges ahead. Ken pulls out his sword and manage to block its attack. Ken has the same reaction of the frozen sword.
"What!?" The beast punches the ground and Ken jumps back. I look up and see Ken in the fight, he also got a new sword. It looks the same, but the katana is recently made and the blade looks thicker to provide more damage and resistant to block attacks. I try to get up, but the cold is keeping me from moving. Mina then steps in to help Ken against the beast.
"Let's go Ken."
"Right!" they both charge in to attack from the side. Mina takes the right while Ken goes to the left. The beast tries to punch Mina, but completly missed, and Mina wasn't trying to dodge. Something is wrong with it, but she continue to punch its ribs. It staggers and Ken took his chance to attack it.
"Take this!" A clean slash to the right side of the beast. It quickly swings and Ken dodge it, from what I notice he's calmer than the last time fighting the beast. He must've been training while I'm gone and now can carry a more powerful weapon as well his defense. Mina pulls back to the safe zone. She then looks at its eyes, seeing the difference. One is red and the other is white, she has a theory, but she needs to try again to make sure if she's right.
"Ken, let's try one more time, but this time take the right, I'll deal the sword."
"What no! I can finally defend against it without letting my sword break. This is not a good idea."
"Trust me, I think there is a weakness, but I need to see it again." He let out a sigh and agree with her plan.
"Alright, but don't come crying to me if you get hurt."
"No problem..." Mina adjust the power gauntlets and it begins to glow a bit of a yellow aura.
"I got this." They charge at it and change directions to attack. Ken takes the right and slash its arm, he notice it too, it's weakness. The beast swings its sword and Mina grab hold of it and sees something glowing in the middle. The beast roars and the sword responded, causing a nova blast of ice. Both flew out and can feel cold for a few seconds. Ken's group comes in and see if one of us is injured.
"You alright Ken?" He quickly gets up showing that he's fine.
"Yeah, I'm good. What was that just now? I was freezing to death for a moment ago." Mina also get ups and found something out.
"Ken, I think the beast is blind. His right eye is injured."
"I knew it! So we have an advantage for it!"
"Not yet, I also found out what's making Ivan freezing to death. The beast must've have something hidden that's causing Ivan to be freezing. It must be its' sword that causes this."
"Then let's try to get rid of it! Guys!" He call out his men to help them. I see them running towards to Ken and Mina preparing to battle. I felt worry that I'm not there to help. The snow isn't fallen badly just softly, and the wind the isn't blowing badly at all. I can't understand all this.
Alright guys, attack from the right, Mina and I will take out its' sword."
"Right!" They charge in once again to attack on both sides. Mina quickly speeds up and aims for the sword. The beast sees her and quickly swings, but Mina caught the sword and leave it open to be attacked. Ken is going to attack as well his men, but the beast change tactics and let go of the sword to dodge thier attack. The blade lands on the ground and it begins to freeze the ground. Mina quickly back ups from the sword and see something glowing once again. She then found something out.
'I can't believe it...this is the one. I have to tell Ken.' The rest re-group and Mina tells Ken the news.
"Ken I found something!"
"What, another weakness?"
"More like a power source, the sword has something in it that can use ice as an attack. We need to get rid of it, before it decides to use it on us."
"Ok, better do this quickly, I'm not so sure I can hold on." Ken holds his ribs, he's still injured from last time.
"No, best you stay put, I think I have an idea. You guys cover your boss and the sword." Mina points at Issac and others.
"Uh, ok." Mina walks towards me. I look up and I see her looking serious.
"Hey Mina, is the battle already over? Heh heh heh..." I led her out smile.
"Ivan, I know your cold, but can you destroy that sword, frozen to the ground? If I'm right, you may be able to be free from that chills of yours." I look up and see the sword, sheath to the ground. The beast isn't wielding it, so I slowly stand up. Almost feeling like my legs aren't really my legs anymore, but I summon my lightning to both arms and legs, to warm up my nerves. I can't think, the cold is making me do things that doesn't make sense to me. I thought if I summon as much lightning as I can, maybe I would be warm enough to move normally to fight.
"Ok...let me try." I focus to summon a powerful weapon, then it summons a great sword twice the size than an original. I look up and it seem to be powerful enough to smash it.
"Alright..." I took a deep breath from the cold air, and charge my shockwave to the ground as a boost. I release the shockwave and dash my way to the sword to break it. The beast suddenly sees me going after its' sword, it quickly ignores the other and pull it out of the ground. We both clash our weapons and causes an aftershock. The strength is just as heavy as the last time, but this time I will surpass it. Both of us see our angers in our eyes. One has a grudge to deal with, and the other wants its gone from this place. We both roar in rage and our weapons responds to lend more power to take over another. The great sword began to freeze more adding spike in front of the blade, instead of a slashing weapon, it becomes a blunt weapon. My hammer then increases the size and weight to break the sword.
"Get lost...YOU BASTARD!" I felt a power surging in me, and my lightning turned red for a moment and the swords shatter into pieces. We pass each other and land at the same time. I look around and the blades, are all scatter around the field. I felt a bit exhausted using too much of my powers, but it's all worth it. Now we can finish it off, but I remember it knows hand combat. The beast is still holding the broken sword, but something near to the handle is glowing. It reaches for it and pulls it out. I widen my eyes, and I finally found what's been causing me to freeze. Mina and the others runs to me and see my face all surprised.
"Ivan what's wrong? No way..." Ken doesn't know what's happening, until he sees the beast.
"Wait isn't that..." Mina answer it.
"Yeah...no doubt about it. That's a Chaos Emerald." It's holding a sky blue emerald, as the color of ice. I stood up and summon my sword to get ready to chop it's damn hand off of it. I never see anyone uses the emerald, but I'm being extra careful if something powerful will occured. I ask Mina and the others for help.
"Mina, Ken, Isaac, everyone...we need to work together if we're going to win this."
"Alright, so what's your plan kid?" I can't think of anything, beside taking that emerald off of it.
"Alright, we know it can fight without its' sword, but we need to get that emerald away from it's hand."
"Alright then, wouldn't want something painful for us to happen with that emerald involve."
"Ok, I think I can fight a little longer, we just need to get rid of it." We prepare ourselves to attack once again. I change the sword into the chain swords, Ken and his crew angles their blades towards the beast, and Mina charge up her gauntlets. Ken sends out his signal.
"Charge!" We dash in to go after the emerald. the beast knows it's coming and the emerald begins to glow. I quickly warn them to watch out its' attack.
"Guys, be careful it's coming!" We split up to attack all around it. Ken took the left, Mina to the right, Isaac and the others went around, and I dash forward to throw the chains at it to slow it down. My chains got around the arm where the emerald is. They all attack. Mina starting to punch everything it has, Ken and his crew begin to hack and slash the beast, while I keep it distracted. It's taking damage, but then roars and send out another nova blast. I release one chain and plunge my sword to the ground to keep myself from flying away. I can't let this chance get away. They flew back, all cold for a moment. Even I begin to feel cold again. I focus myself to let out more power.
'Have to heat up!" I pull myself towards the beast and let out a shockwave dropkick. I was hoping it would drop it and let someone take it, but it's still holding it and I'm now at his range. He grabs me like a rag doll and smash me to the ground multiple times.
"Ivan!" The beast smash me to the ground one more time and was going to attack me with the emerald now. When I look at it, I felt the same chill again, I couldn't move. Then Ken and the others attack at the same time, but this time the blades have finally pierce through it's skin. It finally felt pain and backs away from me. Now the snow is starting to be cover in blood. I look around to see who's there, my ears are ringing from the ground I been smashed into. Then I see Ken and Isaac, defenseless without their swords.
"G...Guys...get out of...there..." I try to reach to them, warn them to get out. The beast now has its eye on them. They felt fear in front of it and now with no weapon on their hands, they have little chance.
"Damn, we both knew it would've kill it. We even hit most of it's vital areas." The blades behind it begins to be shaken off. The blade is in, but not deep enough to cut it's vitals. The swords have fallen out of its back, and the beast roars at them. Then it begins to charge, they couldn't get out of the way, but then Mina charge in and punch the beast.
"Remember me?" She let out a smile on her face, that now it's her turn to take the emerald. She told them to get me out of there and patch me up.
"Guys, get Ivan and help him, I'll handle him on my own."
"You're crazy! It still has the emerald and your expecting us to leave you with that!?
"Just do it! We don't have time for this! Just give me like five minutes to hold it off." Ken looks down and can't think what's better than her plan. So he listen to her and runs to me.
"Come on Isaac, get your med kit!"
"Right!" He already has his med kit on his back. They see me all beaten up with that beast. They see my head bleeding for real this time, a probable dislocated shoulder and ribs damage.
"This doesn't look good, he's badly wounded."
"How bad?"
"Not be able to fight bad."
"Damn it! There's got to be something to help him, we need all the help we can get!"
"I have one, but I'm not so sure it would work."
"Anything will help him to get back up then do it! I'm going to the blacksmith shop and see if there's a spare nearby." Ken quickly runs to the shop and hope he can find a spare sword. Mina is fighting fiercely to the beast, keeping it from activating the emerald's powers. The beast's hand suddenly froze and uses it as a punching glove. She quickly dodge it and catch her some breath. She didn't have a choice and decides to increase her power to her gauntlets to max. It's glowing just as bright as the sun. It blinded the beast for a moment and punches it to the torso, pushing back for a few feet.
"Alright big guy, time to get serious!" She quickly charge in and attack from the side, then on to the other. Her speed increased to a higher level. While she's attacking the beast she begins to think about her past. The time she was trained by Sonic few years back.
'Sonic...you helped me so much to keep going. I lost so many things I loved, and was about to give up, but...you keep on telling me to keep running.' An image pops up and sees herself crying from the loss of her mother. Then Sonic appears and place his hand on her shoulder, giving her a smile. Mina looks up and sees him, a hedgehog who also lost so many things, but continues to live on. Another image pops up, seeing herself training her speed with Sonic as her mentor, adventuring the lands as partners, and spending the days as friends.
'Sonic...thank you...for now on...' Mina appears in the air with her right hand charged up and shines bright in the air, ready to finish off the beast.
"...I'll keep running!" Her punch lands point blank to the beast's head and cause an explosion. I hear a soft soundwave, it's quiet, but hearable. My vision is blurry and can barely see things. I then see smoke flowing between my eyes. I smell something very bitter, that the smell itself is enough to burn my nose. I then stood up and cough out some of the smoke. I then hear a voice.
"Ivan...Ivan!"
"Huh?" My vision is back to normal and my hearing too. I turn to my left and see Isaac.
"Isaac? What are you doing here?"
"Wake up man! We need you back in the fight. Mina is on her against the beast right now and can't see anything from the smoke over there!"
"What!?" I quickly stood up and felt pain on my right shoulder.
"Careful! Your shoulder is dislocated, let me help you." I held out a hand that I can do it myself. I place my left hand on my right shoulder and hold alittle grip on it. I took a deep breath and push it quickly and hear a pop.
"Argh! God..."
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, happens a lot in the mornings, I'm use to it." I begin to run towards the smoke and see what's happening. I then see blue lights flashing and hearing the sound of ice, everytime the light flashes. Then I see Mina, struggling to avoid each of it's attack. I see the beast forms its' fist into ice again and about to punch at her, I quickly throw my chain at it and pull it back, just enough to get Mina out of there.
"Hey! Over here!" I call it out to let it know its me what he wants to kill. It roars at me and begins to charge at me again. I calm myself and disappeared. The beast lost sight of me and I appear from behind.
"Too slow!" I summon my twin swords and slash his back. It tries to back-hand me, but missed. I appear to his left and aim for the leg. It's starting to get angrier and then uses the emerald to use the nova blast. I back away the range and see the damage if it's enough to finish it off. It's bleeding badly, but it can still move normally. I decided to attack it once again, but I summon my great sword for my lightning slash.
I begin to charge, but then the beast punches the ground and the floor is creating an ice wave of frozen spikes. I jump out of the way and was caught off guard when the beast sneaks up behind me.
'Damn!' I quickly clap my hands adding my shockwave causing a flashbang. It screams in pain, and I quickly get out of it's range. Once I land, I'm losing my breath since I use a massive amount of energy to not only buffing my speed, but also dodging its' attacks. I had no choice but to use that attack again. I get into position and begin to charge my shockwave. I see the beast is recovering his only eyesight, and charge the emerald for another attack. I couldn't dodge, but I have to use this attack or we'll never beat it. I close my eyes feeling almost afraid that this attack will finish me off before I'm finish charging. The beast lift his arm and is going to strike first, but then blood starting to fall in front of the beast. Ken chop off his fingers and the emerald is flying in the air. He call me out.
"Ivan!" I open my eyes and see Ken with his sword. I look up and the emerald is flying straight to the air.
"Ivan! Get the emerald!" I listen to him and use my charged shockwave and aim it to the ground.
'Big Shockwave!' I blast off, almost breaking the sound barrier to reach the emerald. I see the blue light, as I'm reaching a star I want to hold. The beast sees me going after it. It was going to jump. Even it's heavy, it's strength is more than enough to jump straight to the air. Once it jumps, it's already catching up to me. Mina then calls out Ken.
"Ken!" He turns around and sees Mina, injured, but then grab hold of Ken's armor and lift him up as he's like a harpoon to throw.
"W-what are you doing!?"
"What do you think I'm doing, we're getting that EMERALD!" She throws him and he flies off after the beast. His crew freaked out and yells at her.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" Mina led a smile to us.
"Go get it...guys" She then falls to the snow. Isaac, reacts and went to get her.
"Mina? Hey are you okay!?" Ken was screaming that he's flying straight up to the skies, then sees the beast. He knows what Mina meant. He aims the swords and was going to lunge into the beast.
"Hey, time end this!" The beast sees me and was going to grab my leg, but then a piercing sound came and the beast spat out blood. Ken caught up and pierced it to the torso completely. They both lost their speed and begins to fall back to the surface. I reach my hand and finally grab the emerald.
"Gotcha!" I smile and look at the emerald to see it up close for once. I then brace myself to impact the ground. While Ken is falling, he begins to look at the full moon rising, as it's his last time he's going to see it. He smiles that he finally becomes the warrior he want's to be. Now he's achieve his goal, then he begin to think if he was ever one the elites, he can't be happier than that title, but a victory against the beast with the help of his friends, that he can't be happier.
"Heh heh...this one's...for the team." he close his eyes preparing the impact. He crashes the ground causing a large spread of smoke. I see the ground and focus my last energy to land without ending up dead or broken. I focus my energy to my legs and shockwave to counter the gravity which took alot to me to use. Once I stop myself falling for a moment. Then the gravity pulls me back, but luckily I only fall at least three feet from the air. I see the smoke and I forgot that Ken was up there, I felt worry and quickly rush in to check on him. When the smoke cleared, I cannot believed what I have witnessed. Ken is alive and what he's top on him is his crew mates to break his fall.
"You guys..."
"Boss!"
"Are you alright!?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, but next time that happens...don't use yourself as a cushion to break my fall. But...thanks guys." he got off of his crewmates and make an announcement.
"Men...for the first time I would ever say...that this mission is a huge success! Without all of your help, we can't make a better victory than this. Thanks...my friends and comrades." He lead out a thumbs up. They cheer for out victories, we finally beat that beast. I look around to see where the beast have fallen and see it far from Ken's crashing spot. It doesn't seem to be moving, not only that I can see the sword in the torso. It tells me that it's already dead before the crash. I then hear Isaac from behind.
"Hey guys!" We turn and see Isaac and Mina waving at us. I run towards them to see if they're alright.
"Isaac, Mina, are you okay?" He chuckles that I'm worry about their injuries instead of mine and Ken.
"I was going to ask you myself. You were banged up, and somehow up and at'em again."
"What about Mina? She looks badly hurt."
"Nah, don't sweat it. I'm fine, I just lost balance after I threw Ken to help you out." I freaked out that she just threw him.
"No way, you? Threw Ken to the sky and finish the beast off?"
"Yeah, while you were getting the emerald. Do you have it?" I check my right hand and I'm still holding it. A huge emerald a size of my palm, glowing brightly as I never seen a jewel that big before. I was happy that we finally defeated it. I decided to get to the villagers to let them know it's finally over, that they're finally free.
"Alright, I guess we can now-" Suddenly my eyes is starting fade my colors and I fell on my knees. Mina begins to worry that I suddenly stop talking and fell. She looks at my eyes and sees me like I'm somehow possessed.
"Ivan, are you ok?" I didn't respond. She grab my shoulder and shakes me, but I'm still not responding.
"Ivan are you okay?" Then the emerald begins to glow brighter and around me the snow is slowly forming a small twister. Also my left side of the chest also begins to glow. Mina grabs Isaac to get of there of what's going to happen. Ken and the others also sees the light glowing brighter and brighter.
"What happening!?"
"Get away from him!" She continues to runs and Ken follows her. In my vision, I can't feel anything except the beating of my heart. The light is glowing brighter until my vision is completely white. I let out a scream of feeling something pulling out or as I'm falling hopelessly.
"AAAAHHH!" The light shines all over the village and my vision turns all white, into nothingness.